InLeaf installs LivePanel and LivePictures at showroom

InLeaf, the Manchester-based commercial plants specialist has added a LivePanel system and three LivePictures to its showroom to allow the company to better demonstrate their benefits to clients as well as to other installers interested in becoming InLeaf franchisees.

Founded by husband and wife Daniel and Charlotte Atherton, a qualified Landscape Architect, Inleaf are keen supporters of Mobilane systems. The company will shortly embark on a major Mobilane installation with a pharmaceutical company in Chester that already has a living wall at its office in Uxbridge. The renovation of the client’s office in Chester includes the installation of a 22m square LivePanel living wall for which InLeaf is doing all the design, installation and maintenance.

“Having the LivePanel and LivePicture at the showroom is useful for demonstrating the systems to clients,” explains Daniel Atherton. “However, InLeaf is a franchise operation and we are looking for franchisees. All our franchise events are held at our showrooms, so the LivePanels and LivePictures are useful for educating potential franchisees about the products they can offer that are different.”

Daniel and Charlotte set the company up with the aim of becoming a franchise, which is why they have a showroom to allow themto train people. With a long-term goal to have franchisees nationwide, InLeaf will recruit, train and support franchisees, as well as taking the lead on new products such as Mobilane systems.

“We only launched in February,” continues Daniel, “So it’s still early days. However, they are getting our first franchisees lined up. The industry is very competitive, which is why we think the franchise idea can help other companies compete. There is a growing market for living walls and there has been a sea change in the last few years. The sense we are getting is there’s a lot more awareness, which is largely client-led. For example, the Chester installation was part of the client brief. We are seeing this more and more.

“In terms of general plants in the commercial space, we are finding a wide range of companies coming to us for solutions, with clients understanding the wide range of benefits of plants in the work place. However, there is still a job to be done in educating smaller businesses, which is where our demonstration systems at the showroom come in.”